today's press conference?
2017 MotoGP Silly Season
- Thread starter Chaos
- Start date
today's press conference?
lator-illa
Well-known member
yes
Marquez re-ups with Honda for 2 seasons.
http://www.gpone.com/en/2016060226639/motogp/marquez-renews-with-honda-agreement-until-2018.html
http://www.gpone.com/en/2016060226639/motogp/marquez-renews-with-honda-agreement-until-2018.html
Thanks. Stuck at work, haven't watched yet
lator-illa
Well-known member
He might go to Aprilia, but also mentioned he has two good offers in Superbike. He was pretty explicit in that what was most important to him is how he is valued in the team, and that he's wanted.
If he does that, he has to be very cognisant of the fact that he probably won't come back to MotoGP.
Work is the best place to watch it
lator-illa
Well-known member
I think he's fully aware at this point that his days being a factory rider in Motogp are numbered. If he signs with Aprilia, he retains a factory seat in Motogp, and to be honest, is the only team available for him in Motogp at this point. I don't think there's even a satellite seat for him. So for him to consider Superbikes isn't such a far-fetched idea.
I still think there are some (albeit not great) scenarios for him to stay in MotoGP:
I can see him returning to Suzuki if Rins signs for Tech3. As principled as he sounds now, Suzuki would be a good seat for him, and he would swallow his pride.
I suppose he could sign with Aprilia, but I personally don't really have high hopes for that team. I'm still not convinced they in it for the long term. I hope I am wrong though.
Avintia could be a destination, though they already have one potential Spanish rider in Barbera, who is having a very good season. I suspect Avintia will have a non-spaniard in the other seat for some under-the-table dorna money.
Aspar could be a destination, though i'm not sure Aspar would take him back so readily after he paid to leave his contract early to race on the Forward Yamaha.
Superbikes could be a good destination for him provided he ends up on a factory-backed team there - Kawasaki (doubful), Ducati (maybe), Yamaha (maybe).
Work is the best place to watch it
Agreed; no sound unfortunately
I reiterate, he has 2 career podiums across ALL classes... should be thankful for whatever he can get. I personally will never understand how he even made the premier class, nevermind landing a factory seat
lator-illa
Well-known member
I think it would be stupid for Aprilia to let go of someone like Bradl(who's a Moto2 champ, and proved he was fast with a good bike - LCR), and replace him with Aleix. I have never understood why Bradl has always been overlooked.
It's pretty miraculous actually. There were injuries at Pramac, and he was available because he did not fall a full time 250 ride. I guess he showed some pace on the dogshit ducati, and they decided to keep him the season after. He's managed to use that break into getting himself all the way to a factory seat.
You're right though. On paper, his results don't jive with his opportunities.
FWIW, he did win the 'open' championship, if you put any stake in that.
Last edited:
BigEvilDoer
Well-known member
I think it's simply 'cause he crashes. A LOT. He's been given decent bikes, but has always been kind of "meh" on them.
+1
Bradl is a much better rider imho
I put no stock in that season. The Forward Yamaha was leaps and bounds better than any of the other open class bikes, and his teammates, Edwards (at the end of his career) and DeAngelis were not great measuring sticks. I clearly remember thinking wtf when he was announced with Suzuki. Not saying he's been terrible, but much like the rest of his career, he's underwhelmed..
lator-illa
Well-known member
Not really. Look at his rookie year, as well as 2013 and 2014 when he was with LCR. Sure, he had 2 or 3 crashes within the year but he consistently placed around 6-8 in the season. He's had lots of near podiums (4th, 5th). He only started crashing alot when he switched to Forward Yamaha. LCR was worse off when they replaced him with Crutchlow the next year.
When he was on the ART with aspar he won the "crt" class twice on that bike, he pretty much crushed every crt rider. He's never been on a great bike through out his whole career, and i think his results reflect that. If Rins takes his seat at Suzuki, i think Tech 3 could be a good place for him(likely won't happen i know). He was impressive on the Forward Yamaha, could only be better on what is basically i full factory bike.
Not to mention he kicked MM ***. He had some bad luck with LCR.
Beating out the likes of DePunit Ellison Hernandez Pirro DiMegeo Parks... I could go one with a who's who of who was, but even if you want believe that's impressive enough to land a full factory ride, you only need to look back to Moto2, 250 and 125 where he was absolutely on equally competitive machines... 1 podium over 6 years; that's the real A. Espargaro. Only explanation for him even being in GP is the guy has connections, end of.
ps. He's on a decent bike and his teammate is making him look silly in his second year; and almost beat him in the final standings in his first (7 points). That's why one is on his way to the best bike on the grid, and the other is in the news telling the world how unfair life is
Did MM not crash out with 2 races to go, effectively handing Bradl that title? Don get me wrong, I think Bradl's great, but I don't remember him 'kicking MM's ***'. As I recall, it was Marc's to lose; which he did.
^^ Just to add to the above on A. Espargaro; I make the comment about being in the news tongue in check. Honestly I can understand his frustration to a certain extent. If he leaves to be somewhere he's loved, as he puts it, whether that be SBK or Aprilia (which I think is a mistake for them) I hope he's successful and finds his happy place 
